The preliminary hearing in a triple homicide case against Joshua Maylee of Holts Summit has been delayed for two months by the Callaway County Associate Circuit Court.
At the request of Callaway County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Casey Clevenger, the first-degree murder hearing scheduled for Tuesday afternoon was continued by Associate Circuit Court Judge Carol England until 1:30 p.m. on April 22.
Clevenger said a witness crucial to the prosecution's case was unable to attend Tuesday's scheduled hearing and a continuance was needed.
In the first-degree murder case, Maylee no longer is represented by Callaway County Public Defender Justin Carver.
Maylee is now represented in the murder case by two public defender attorneys from Columbia who specialize in first-degree murder cases. They are Donald Catlett and Thomas Marshall. Both filed papers with the court on Jan. 13 announcing that they were the new attorneys representing Maylee in the first-degree murder case.
Catlett, Marshall, Clevenger and Judge England went through their schedules and agreed on April 22 as a date for Maylee's preliminary hearing.
Maylee faces a three-count, first-degree degree murder charge in connection with the slayings last Oct. 26 of three Holts Summit residents. The murder victims were Allen Pinet and his wife Jackie Pinet and Jeff Werdehausen. Maylee also is accused of shooting Werdehausen's wife, Gina. She survived a gunshot wound to her neck.
In addition to the three first-degree murder charges and one attempted murder charge, Maylee also faces two other felony charges of theft of more than $500 involving a commercial lawn mower and a tractor.
Catlett said Carver will continue to represent Maylee in the theft cases.
Maylee is accused of stealing a red Mahindra tractor valued at more than $500 from William Essen of Holts Summit and selling it in Ashland for $2,500.
Maylee also is accused of stealing a Grass Hopper Zero Turn mower, valued at $10,000, owned by Donald Hanson of Kingdom City.